Car Rental France

Traveling across France by car can be one of life’s great experiences. It’s your choice whether to stick to the main freeways and get to your destination as quickly as possible, or drive through the rural roads that will take you through pretty villages and towns.

French freeways, called ‘Autoroutes’, are marked by blue signs and have the prefix ‘A’. There are tolls in operation on most of them. You can plan ahead by looking at the toll charges online.

N Roads, or ‘Routes Nationales’ have green signs and are free, as are local roads with white signs –  called D Roads. If you’re going to drive a considerable distance in France, it’s difficult to avoid tolls.

Road speed signs are in kilometers per hour, and on freeways the limit is 130kph (around 80mph), slowing to 110kph in wet weather. On local roads it’s usually 80kph, dropping to 50kph (around 30mph) in built-up areas.

Seat belts have to be worn by the driver and all passengers, and the government recommends you use dipped headlights at all times. For a handy downloadable guide, see here.

Some of the main routes are also the busiest – the A1 from Paris to Lille, the A10 from Paris to Bordeaux – but French roads normally have light traffic outside of the city centers.

If you’re planning on visiting the west of France, the A11 runs from near Rennes through Chartres to the center of the country. The east is served by many routes, including the N4 and A4, and Dijon can be found on the A6. The south of France can be reached by the A20, A71 and A75, depending on where you plan on stopping along the way. With a small amount of planning, you can pick out a great route to make the most of France.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a lover of literature, food, culture, art or, indeed, a lover of love itself – France has everything you need.

Your very own Tour de France

Many visitors gravitate to Paris, which is unsurprising given its incredible museums and galleries, abundance of world-class restaurants and cool cafés to relax in – not to mention a certain iconic tower.

But the north has many other charms, with cities such as Rouen, Lille and Reims offering plenty of attractions. The latter, in the Champagne region, has an incredible Gothic cathedral that dates all the way back to 1211.

Lille is a city which has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with some major reconstruction that has helped to emphasize its many tourist elements, not least the Palais Des Beaux Arts, where you can see works by Manet and Rubens.

Let it snow

While there are those who seek out the sun to the west and south of France, others pack their skis and goggles and make a beeline for the east and the Alps.

This vast mountain range is home to a host of great ski resorts that are perfect for boarding, skiing and more. Val D’Isere and Chamonix are two popular choices, and even if you’re not going to hit the slopes, they’re worth a visit for their stunning scenery.

Lyon is the east’s major city, pretty as a picture alongside the Saone and Rhone rivers, its pastel-colored buildings catching the sun. Try the carnivorous delights at Le Musee, one of the best ‘bouchons’ in the city, serving the finest in Lyonnaise fare.

Beautiful Brittany

Head for Brittany or Pays de la Loire in the west of France to explore the old streets of Nantes and the rugged Atlantic coast.

St. Malo is known as the city of pirates and has a long seafaring history, while the fortress city of Fougeres has medieval links and ramparts that make it a must for history buffs.

The aquarium at Brest is one of the best in France and heading further south-west you’ll encounter Guerande, another medieval town with famous salt flats. The idyllic town is packed with crêperies for lunch and gift shops selling their fleur de sel – a variety of sea salt synonymous with the region.

The glamor of the south

Perhaps the chicest part of all France, the Riviera on the south-east coast is a place to really make the most of car rental in France. Roads wind past blond beaches, the serene Mediterranean Sea and through petite coastal villages.

The stretch from Montpellier to Marseille and on to Cannes is where you put on your sunglasses and join the jet set. One of the best scenic drives is the ‘three corniches’ between Nice and Monaco, affording spectacular views.

Stop over in Nice and indulge in some of their specialties – the Nicoise salad, the pan bagnat and a ratatouille worthy of the name.

The bounty of France can be discovered by getting on the road in your rental car, taking in Provence, Languedoc, Normandy and so much more. You’ll be sure to come back again.